a woman with Southern roots who travels the world

Burnt Toast, Egg Shells and Coffee Grinds

June 21, 2008

Sizzling in the pan, eggs began to cook as a little girl’s hand took the spatula and did her best cook breakfast for Dad while making a mess in the kitchen. Only eight, she tried to remember how mommy always did it. First you got to crack the eggs, but that turned out to be a lot harder than she thought. When they wouldn’t crack properly she just used her hand to finish the job, not noticing the bits of egg shell that fell in. She beat the eggs with a fork and somehow managed to get them in the pan with only a little bit of soupy egg spilling out.

So proud. She grinned cheek to cheek. Today was a special day for Dad, and she wanted to make it even more special for him.

She popped a slice of bread into the toaster, turning the heat setting like mom always did– only she didn’t know what it did. She just knew that mommy turned it. Somehow, her toast turned out a lot blacker than mommy’s. Maybe Dad would like it that way, she thought.

Ahhaa! Coffee! Dad drinks coffee. She searched the pantry up and down until she found Folger’s Coffee. She’d seen her Dad do this before. It’s simple. You get a filter and put some coffee grinds in there. A few scoops of that should do the trick. She poured water into the coffee maker, and all over the floor in the process.

A plate of eggs, burnt toast, and a cup of the blackest coffee you’d ever seen, she geared up to show her masterpiece to her father. Mom and Dad were just beginning to wake, as they probably smelled the remnants of coffee and burning toast…she knocked and then came in with a show. Happy Father’s Day, Dad!

He could not have been more delighted. He smiled and with his deep, rolling laugh began to dote on his daughter. She beamed. As he sipped his bitter, black coffee, he could not help but chuckle, “How much coffee did you put in there, Dyanne?”“I did it just like you, Dad.”

I don’t think he had it in his heart to mention the egg shells in his eggs or the burnt toast. But he didn’t mind because it was my best offering of love I could give to him.

Thinking back on that memory, I could not help but laugh out loud and smile as I realized that that is how God views us. We blunder often (not even realizing it) and even when we are offering Him our best, it is still tainted with egg shells and coffee grinds. But He knows our hearts. He sees our hearts and our intentions. I have to remember that as I cannot be and never will be perfect. I can strive for holiness, and seek Him, but I will always be human and need the all-encompassing grace that Jesus offers.

The other thing that I noticed was that that eight year old Dyanne was not ashamed to offer her dad burnt toast and whatnot. No, she offered it with a full heart, knowing that she gave her best. Sometimes as we get older, we think that we have to be perfect before coming to God. That could not be further from the truth. He accepts you where you are at. He desires you to come to Him no matter where you stand. In fact, you won’t begin to truly change until you come to Him as you are. Then He begins a work in you that He continues until completion and the day of Jesus.

So, come before Him, no matter where you stand. Let His presence settle over you and let Him love you just as you are. Don’t worry about the rest. He’ll work it out. He is patient and kind. He is the most loving person you’ll ever know. Let Him send out a rolling laughter of love that fills the room when you offer Him what love and worship you have. You will feel His delight. There’s nothing like it. Nothing that compares.

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Oh Dyanne! Precious! I love this entry…I know it’s abit late to read it…but it touched me for sure…I’ve got tears running down my face :D. Thanks for the picture of our Father’s heart to us. I need that a lot! I know I am tempted often to analyze what I may try to give God and if it’s enough or just right, etc. His heart of love…so sweet, so kind. Sarah B.